Sergei Skripal discharged from hospital

SERGEI Skripal has been discharged from Salisbury District Hospital after he was poisoned with a nerve agent 11 weeks ago. Mr Skripal and his daughter, Yulia Skripal, were admitted to the hospital along with DS Nick Bailey after having been exposed to a nerve agent on March 4. All three have now been discharged.

Staff at the hospital worked to keep the three alive by stabilising them until their bodies could produce more enzymes to replace those that had been poisoned. Salisbury District Hospital chief executive, Cara Charles-Barks, said: “It is fantastic news that Sergei Skripal is well enough to leave Salisbury District Hospital.

"That he, Yulia and DS Bailey have been able to leave us so soon after coming into contact with this nerve agent is thanks to the hard work, skill and professionalism of our clinicians, who provide outstanding care to all our patients, day in and day out.

“This has been a difficult time for those caught up in this incident – the patients, our staff and the people of Salisbury. I want to thank the public for their support, and I want to pay a special tribute to both the clinical staff here at the trust and those who work so hard behind the scenes.

“They’ve demonstrated the very best of the NHS.”

Director of nursing, Lorna Wilkinson added: “We have been able to discharge Sergei Skripal. This is an important stage in his recovery, which will now take place away from the hospital. Treating him and the other two people poisoned by this nerve agent, while still providing outstanding care to the other patients who rely on our hospital, has been a huge and unprecedented challenge that I’m proud our staff at Salisbury Hospital have risen to.”